To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the campaigns since 1974 that resulted in a medal being struck, what the duration was of each campaign, and when the first medal in each case was presented. [129304]

Specific campaign medals and clasps to both the General Service Medal (GSM) 1962 and, more recently, the Operational Service Medal (OSM) have been instituted for the following campaigns and operations since 1974. It is not possible to say when any given campaign started or was completed, but the dates specified in the table represent the qualifying period considered to be suitable for the award.

Medal Clasp (as required)	Qualifying dates
GSM Northern Ireland	14 August 1969-ongoing
GSM Dhofar	1 October 1969–30 September 1976
The Rhodesia Medal	1 December 1979–20 March 1980
South Atlantic Medal	2 April 1982–14 June 1982
GSM Lebanon	7 February 1983–9 March 1984
GSM Mine Clearance Gulf of Suez	15 August 1984–15 October 1984
GSM Gulf	17 November 1986–28 February 1989
The Gulf Medal	2 August 1990–7 March 1991
GSM Kuwait	8 March 1991–30 September 1991
GSM Northern Iraq and Southern	6 April 1991–17 July 1991
Turkey		GSM Air Ops Iraq	16 July 1991–18 March 2003 (Op Resinate South)
	16 July 1991–30 April 2003 (Op Resinate North)
OSM Sierra Leone	5 May 2000–31 July 2002

No record was made of when these medals were first issued to eligible recipients. Medals for campaign service are generally posted direct to individuals or, if still serving, sent in batches to their Unit/Regiment/Ship/ Squadron and distributed. Any formal presentation ceremony would be a local initiative organised by the commanding officer of the unit concerned.